


Hatsumode

by Anatui



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: Clueless Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya, Fate & Destiny, Fortune Telling, Friends to Lovers, High School, Late Night Conversations, M/M, New Year's Eve, Smitten Ichijouji Ken, Teen Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22055926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anatui/pseuds/Anatui
Summary: Daisuke sighed before rolling up the paper again. "No…I mean, yes, it is a good fortune obviously, but I'm just trying to figure it out." He turned his eyes back to the skyline, determined not to be too distracted."Figure out what?" When Daisuke didn't answer right away, Ken added, "I don't know why you obsess over the romance section, Motomiya."Daisuke sent him a scowl. "I don't obsess over it," he snapped. "Just…don't you think it's strange that this is the first year it's said something positive? Even with all the blessings I've gotten over the years, there's never been anything significant in that section." He groaned. "And it's turned out true every single year."ORDaisuke and Ken celebrate New Year's together by visiting a shrine, getting their fortunes, and watching the sunrise. It's not romantic...is it?
Relationships: Ichijouji Ken/Motomiya Daisuke | Davis Motomiya
Comments: 3
Kudos: 37
Collections: Daiken Discord Server





	Hatsumode

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to [this Tumblr post](https://digimon-prompt-challenges.tumblr.com/post/189979158659/whats-your-otpbrotpot3-doing-this-new-years).
> 
> As a note, this fanfic relies a lot on Japanese culture surrounding New Year's. One of the traditional ways to celebrate the New Year is to perform hatsumode, which is the first trip to a temple or shrine, where you burn charms bought the previous year, pray, get your fortune for the upcoming year, and can buy lucky charms and talisman. It's a really big event, and while tradition dictates you do it on the first day of the new year, many believe you're fine if you do it in the first week of the new year. [Learn more](https://matcha-jp.com/en/1346).
> 
> Another really important word in here is omikuji, which is the fortune-telling paper you can pick up during the event. While these are available any time of year, it is customary to get one when you visit for your hatsumode. [Learn more](https://matcha-jp.com/en/892).

The first time Daisuke spent the night with Ken and his family was only a few days after they defeated BelialVamdemon, and the Chosen Children were still riding the high of their win. It was New Year's Eve, and the moment Ken mentioned he and his parents visited Meiji Shrine every year for hatsumode, Daisuke demanded to go with him—and well, Ken couldn't deny Daisuke anything.

Daisuke's family wasn't particularly traditional, and while they performed hatsumode sometime in the first week of the New Year, the first shrine visit wasn't anything sacred and they never did it on New Year's Eve.

When he went home with Ken that day, the Ichijoujis had decorated with all kinds of festive decorations: pine and bamboo and the pretty red senryo berries adorned the apartment. They had a nice dinner, and Mrs. Ichijouji was so pleased Ken had a friend over that she didn't mind Daisuke's horrific table manners.

After dinner, they all bundled up in coats and sweaters—Mrs. Ichijouji made a fuss when Daisuke wore a pair of cargo shorts, but he insisted he wouldn't be cold—and boarded the train to head for Harajuku. Ken and Daisuke stood side-by-side on the busy train, clinging to the same grab rail, arms overlapping in the tight space. And although most of the riders were on their phones or chatting in hushed voices with their family, Daisuke had no problem animatedly telling Ken all about the charms he brought and what he was hoping to see on this year's fortune, though he flat-out refused to reveal what wishes he would scrawl on his ema plaque before Ken even considered asking.

When at last they arrived, Meiji Shrine was flooded with people, even before midnight. They walked through the sacred grounds, and Ken watched in amusement as Daisuke bounced around from vendor to vendor, weaving through the throngs of visitors to try different foods and purchase lucky charms and talismans.

Daisuke waited patiently—purely because he had a carton of steaming gyoza to munch on—while Ken and his parents prayed at the shrine and joined them when he finished his food to offer his charms from the previous year.

Then, he was in the lead again, dragging Ken off to purchase their omikuji. He nudged Ken to go first, and when Ken had retrieved his paper fortune, Daisuke slid beside him, head pressed to his best friend's shoulder, to read the sheet. "Cool," he cried through his grin, "you got kichi! That's great!" And they spent a minute perusing his fortune, though Daisuke lamented that there wasn't a romance section—"That's essential," he insisted, though Ken, cheeks flushed from the cold night air, simply shook his head at Daisuke's overzealous attitude.

Daisuke retrieved his fortune next, and he squealed the moment he read the word _daikichi_ at the top. That was the best fortune you could receive, and he'd pretty much always gotten some variation of curse as far back as he could remember. His only disappointment was the fact that the paper insisted that luck wouldn't extend to his love life this year. He pouted for a minute before throwing his arms around Ken's neck and insisting _he_ was his good luck charm and he would join the Ichijoujis for hatsumode every year, assuming Ken would have him. Ken stuttered before nudging Daisuke away and saying, "Yes, fine, you're welcome again next year, Motomiya—but only if you let me go right now."

*

By the time they were in high school, joining the Ichijoujis for hatsumode had long ago become tradition. Daisuke didn't even ask anymore, especially since he had received good blessings every single year, and to his surprise, Ken mostly did too—there had been one year he'd gotten a curse, and they had hung it on the pine tree together. Daisuke had then insisted he would simply share his good fortune with Ken, ignoring the scowl on his friend's face and the deadpan words, "That's not how it works, Daisuke."

As second years, Daisuke and Ken were more than happy to stay up all night to go to the packed Meiji Shrine, and now that they were seventeen, Ken's parents were comfortable enough to leave earlier and let the boys continue exploring the shrine together. That way, the Ichijoujis got some sleep that night, and Daisuke and Ken could still watch the New Year's sun rise together.

After leaving Meiji, the boys took a train back to Tamachi and climbed to the rooftop of Ken's apartment building to watch the New Year's sun rise.

They sat and whispered back and forth, their good fortunes tight in their hands, as they waited in the half-light, but Daisuke couldn't sit still. He had to pull out his omikuji again—this was the first time in years he actually had a section about romance that sounded promising—and examine the words on the paper.

Of course, omikuji were never direct, and a fortune claiming his true love was waiting right in front of him was hardly very much information to go by. How could he possibly decipher that when it was so vague? He was never very good at riddles anyway.

"That good of a blessing?" Ken murmured from his side, shoulder pressed to shoulder to ward off the chill.

Daisuke sighed before rolling up the paper again. "No…I mean, yes, it is good obviously, but I'm just trying to figure it out." He turned his eyes back to the skyline, determined not to be too distracted to pay attention to the official start of New Year's Day—especially since he'd get to stay the day with Ken and Mrs. Ichijouji always put together an elaborate osechi and her boiled shrimp was to die for.

Beside him, Ken yawned. "Figure out what?" He slumped slightly, struggling to stay awake, even for a couple more minutes. And when Daisuke didn't answer right away, he added, "I don't know why you obsess over the romance section, Daisuke."

Daisuke sent him a scowl. "I don't _obsess_ over it," he snapped. "Just…don't you think it's strange that this is the first year it's said something positive? Even with all the blessings I've gotten over the years, there's never been anything significant in that section." He groaned. "And it's turned out true every single year."

"You put too much faith in a piece of paper," Ken said, stifling another yawn. "We make our own destiny—not the omikuji."

"What did yours say?"

"You know what mine said," he said, shaking his head. "Shukichi. I even got better luck than you this year. That never happens."

Daisuke laughed, but that wasn't exactly what he meant. "Yeah, but what did your romance section say?"

That made Ken hesitate, his cheeks flushing in a way that was definitely not from the cold this time. But he still answered: "It says I need to be patient and not worry. And that my miracle will come this year."

"Oh." He sighed again, but his brow furrowed in confusion and his chest ached uncomfortably. "That's good, I guess."

Ken nodded, silent.

"So that means you…well, _does_ that mean you like someone?"

For a moment, Ken stumbles over his words before finally managing to say, "Really, Daisuke, it's just a piece of paper." But the deep red on his cheeks told a very different story.

Daisuke released a deep sigh, frustration eating at his stomach.

But then the sun breached the skyline, and they fell silent as they watched it rise slowly over the horizon and its rays landed on their huddled forms on the rooftop.

Daisuke let out a sharp breath. "It's beautiful."

"Yes…"

But Ken's voice sounded particularly close, and when Daisuke turned his attention to his best friend, Ken wasn't focused on the sun. No, he was focused on _him_.

Ken's eyes widened the moment Daisuke caught him, and he turned back to the oranges and pinks of the sunrise over Tamachi, a significant amount of pink on his cheeks as well and a tremble running through his body.

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Daisuke turned back to the sunrise too, but his stomach didn't feel uneasy anymore and the ache in his chest wasn't quite so painful. And as he watched the sun climb above the horizon, his thoughts drifted back to his fortune's vague promise, and happy laughter rose up in his chest, forcing its way out of his mouth.

Of course, Ken wasn't in front of him. No, he was already at his side, right where he belonged. But like Ken said, it was just a piece of paper. And the very necessity of its vagueness meant he could forgive his omikuji for getting the exact location wrong.

But at his side, Ken was still trembling, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Daisuke laughed again and threw his arm around his best friend. "Baka." He tugged Ken closer until their sides were pressed together and they were hardly distinguishable as separate entities. "If you're cold, just say something," he added, his words warm with amusement.

After a moment of stiffness, Ken relaxed and allowed Daisuke's heat to wrap around him, relishing the pleasant warmth cocooning him. His body ceased its trembling, but the bright blush on his cheeks was unmistakable and unpreventable.

"Happy New Year," he murmured, and he lifted his hand to pat Daisuke's, dangling over his shoulder.

But Daisuke caught his hand and clasped their fingers together. "Happy New Year, Ken," he whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave me a review to let me know what you think. :)


End file.
